Are you a re-reader?

[HighburyLass]

Generally I would say I am not, for 2 reasons. Mainly because I have too many books I want to read, I don't have time to revisit. Secondly I'm scared of being disappointed. Especially if it's a book I loved when younger. I've changed over the years and my memories would be tainted if I reread but didn't like it as much.

The reason I ask is, having heard that Barbara Taylor Bradford died, I wondered if I should reread A Woman of Substance. I read it as a 16 year old and loved it so much. I borrowed it from the library and had to complete it in 3 weeks (fast reading for me) because there was a waiting list for it!

So, to reread or not? Would you? Do you?

I've re read countless books over the years. I live nothing more than slipping back into a familiar world with characters that are like old friends. I find it very soothing

I am 100% a regraded some books (like Jean Auels the earth children series) I've read countless times.

I get enjoyment from each read something comforting about knowing what happens you can completely relax.

I love reading books, so for me 100% reread it.

I read A Woman of Substance around the same age and loved it.

Now nostalgic for waiting lists at the library.

I am a big re-reader.

Sometimes for comfort, nostalgia or as a reminder of the story.

I love re-reading and always come away with more with every read.

I have recently read Rebecca-read it first as a teen and several times subsequently over the decades but still came away with things I hadn't noticed and it is a real joy.

I think re-reading something you read as a teen is fascinating because your perspective and life experience is so changed that you see things differently and a it is very interesting exercise.

Read it!

Yes. Re-reading is a comforting experience quite different from the excitement of reading a new book. I very often have a re-read on the go at the same time as a new book, and I have series that I re-read from start to finish every one or two years.

I struggle with re-reading, it’s like you’ll never get that high from when you first read it, but I have re-read a few books I have really enjoyed. I think it’s that feeling of Deja vu that bugs me.

I don’t, for the exact reasons you also don’t!

There’s one book I’ve read around 5 times. It’s an Irish one called Where’s your mama gone? Can’t think of the authors name. I don’t know why I love the book so much. It’s actually a tragic story but I think it reminds me of my own family, my mother in particular.
I also read Lisa Jewel’s the family upstairs twice just because it’s so good.

Never re read, not sure why

I have recently read Rebecca-read it first as a teen ... I think re-reading something you read as a teen is fascinating because your perspective and life experience is so changed that you see things differently and a it is very interesting exercise.
Absolutely agree. But I don't re-read much (Rebecca was for book group) because there are so many other books in the world to get through!

If the book is a classic then you should be safe with a re-read. You have a different understanding because of your life-experience, and you also pick up on subtle things like foreshadowing.

More so when I was younger and couldn’t afford that many books. Reluctant now after trying to re-read Testament of Youth which I loved and couldn’t even get half way through. I didn’t know Barbara TB had died, I loved her books. Escapism at its best.

I occasionally re-read, only because I pick up books in charity shops and other places and cannot remember if I’ve read it before. I also buy books thinking they are recently written, only to find they’ve just been given a new cover photo. Although I vaguely remember the storyline, I still enjoy reading books again.

I use to own hundreds of books and would reread maybe twenty of them then two things happened.

I started working in a library so stopped buying books.
We had a house fire and I lost every one of my books.

When I got the insurance money through I replace 15 books that were very dear to me.

I reread everything, to be honest it absolutely blows my mind that some people don’t.

Sometimes I even get to the end and go straight back to the beginning .

I always find something new even when I think I practically know the whole book by heart.
And I still enjoy it every single time. Sometimes I’m waiting for a phrase or sentence that I love, and then I find another that passed me by before that I love just as much. Or sometimes the one I love resonates differently. But I can still remember how I felt the first (or tenth, or whatever) time I read it.

I think rereading gives a much richer, multilayered experience - for me anyway.

I would definitely do it.

I have some books I regularly re-read, others I've read twice - and I also quite often listen to a book on Audible when I've enjoyed it in paper form.

I don't re-read books. I guess I feel the time it takes me to read a book I could read something new.
My DS11 is a big re-reader of books. He will finish and go right back to the beginning

Thanks for all your replies. Love all the passion from the re readers. I might read it next. I'll let you know how it goes!

Yes definitely. Sometimes it's for comfort (some books are old friends), some to see what you get new out of it after reading it once and knowing the whole story, sometimes it's to give it another chance after a very underwhelming first read (I'm looking at you Middlemarch).

This, pretty much. Am also a very fast, obsessive reader, so rereading a lot never stops me forging ahead with new stuff, too.

Some books are designed to only ‘work’ on a reread. Someone mentioned Rebecca upthread — this is one of them. Only on a subsequent reading are you not ‘taken in’ or misreading, along with the narrator.

Yes if it's a book I just could not put down .

Yes, I have several books that I have gone back to over the last 20 plus years. Even though I know pretty much word for word what it will say I still get a ghost feeling of what it was like the first time I read it. I remember covering the lower part of the page so my traitorous eyes did not scan down.

I also read some of those books to my children who were teens because I wanted to be there when certain things happened and share that moment with them.

At the moment Ds1 is reading Iron Flame which I have read at least 3 times, I have stuck a bookmark into a certain page to say when you get to that I'll read it to you. Luckily for me he loves this and he is 21.

Yes, absolutely.

A very good summary of my thoughts too 👍

I’ve re-read a few books as an adult but was something I did more when I was younger. Now I feel my goodreads list is so long I will never get to read all the books I want to!

One thing I am enjoying is as my dd grows re-reading my favourite books (from when I was that age) to her and seeing how she reacts to them. As it’s her first time almost gives me that magic again too!

Yes, especially if I'm going through a phase of struggling to get into new books.
I've just re-read all the John Sandford Prey series, I think I started reading them in the 80's so I don't remember much 😄.
I re read Harlan Coben a lot too.